NHL Betting Info. 5/20

[TheGame]

NHL notebook: Stamkos hopes to return to series
By The Sports Xchange


Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos continues to progress from surgery to remove a blood clot and indicated there is a slim chance he can return during the Eastern Conference finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Stamkos, who scored 36 goals during the regular season, has been sidelined since he underwent surgery to remove the clot near his right collarbone on April 4. He is unlikely to play in Friday's pivotal Game 4.
The Lightning trail the Penguins 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.


--The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled eight players from their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after that team was eliminated from the Calder Cup playoffs.
Joining the Penguins are forwards Daniel Sprong, Dominik Simon, Jean-Sebastien Dea, Josh Archibald and Kael Mouillierat; defensemen Steve Oleksy and Tim Erixon; and goaltender Tristan Jarry.
Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Penguins and Lightning will be played Friday, with Pittsburgh holding a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series.


--The Edmonton Oilers signed winger Zack Kassian to a one-year contract.
Kassian, 25, had eight points (three goals, five assists) in 36 games for Edmonton this past season. He has 74 points (38 goals, 36 assists) in 234 career NHL games.


--Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan embraces the win-now pressure that comes with a roster that includes one of the game's best players.
Alex Ovechkin's contract has five years left and he'll be just 35 when it expires. MacLellan can grip the reality that the clock is ticking, but even with Ovechkin signed, there's uncertainty in Washington and rising pressure to win a Stanley Cup.
"I don't know that the window closes off, but it's got to change because money needs to be allocated to different players and that sometimes squeezes out other players," MacLellan said. "The situation will change after next year."


--The Lightning signed forward Anthony Cirelli to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Cirelli tallied 59 points (21 goals, 38 assists) in 62 games for the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League this past season. Hei was a third-round selection by the Lightning in the 2015 NHL draft.


--The Arizona Coyotes officially announced that their AHL affiliate will be relocated from Springfield, Mass., to Tucson, Ariz., for the start of the 2016-17 season.
The AHL's Board of Governors approved the sale of the Springfield Falcons to the Coyotes on May 10, and the Tucson City Council approved a 10-year arena lease agreement between the Coyotes and the Tucson Convention Center on May 17.

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 5/20

Preview: Penguins (48-26) at Lightning (46-31)


Date: May 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT


TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Few NHL teams have the quickness, speed, skill and depth to overwhelm the Tampa Bay Lightning, which the Pittsburgh Penguins have done through three games of the Eastern Conference finals.


Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and a talented supporting cast that includes the sizzling line of Phil Kessel, Carl Hagelin and Nick Bonino have outplayed the speedy Lightning for significant stretches of each game to gain a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven matchup.


Game 4 is Friday night at Amalie Arena, and the Penguins are looking to turn up the pressure even more.


'When you're playing such good teams at this point, you know you can't afford to look past the game in front of you,' said Crosby, who's scored the past two games after going eight straight without a goal.


Malkin assisted on Crosby's power-play goal that proved to be the winner in Game 3 on Wednesday night, Malkin's first point since Game 2 of Pittsburgh's second-round victory over Washington.


While the Penguins' biggest stars were trying to get back on track, Kessel, Hagelin and Bonino heated up at precisely the right time.


The trio had a huge impact Wednesday night, as well, with Kessel delivering his team-leading seventh goal of the playoffs off a nifty pass from Bonino after earlier setting up Hagelin's goal that snapped a scoreless tie.


'You don't win consistently without (depth). That line's been great all playoffs long,' Crosby said. 'You look at the way Phil's playing ... he creates so much. Haggy's got a ton of speed. And Bones is a really smart player. He works really well with those two guys. They've given us a lot of momentum.'


Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper acknowledged line has been tough matchup for a team that's accustomed to wearing opponents down with its own deep roster.


'You look at their team, Phil Kessel probably doesn't get near the respect he deserves. I mean, he's scored a ton of goals in this league. Bonino's kind of one of those underrated players. ... You look at the teams he's playing, and there's always been named stars ahead of him. Hagelin's won everywhere he's gone, the teams he's played on. But they get overshadowed by the big name guys,' Cooper said.


'When you can go three and four lines deep - and something we've been able to do - it's a tough matchup for teams,' the coach added. 'They're just another case - and plus they're feeling it, too. They're in one of those playoff runs where they're feeling it, and when you are going like that, good things are going to happen for you.'


The Penguins have outshot Tampa Bay 124-70, a trend the Lightning can't allow to continue if they expect to win the series.


Andrei Vasilevskiy has filled in admirably since replacing the injured goalie Ben Bishop during Tampa Bay's victory in Game 1. In addition to generating more scoring chances, Cooper stressed the Lightning also have to play better in front of Vasilevskiy, who faced 41 shots in Game 2 and 48 Wednesday night.


'That's unacceptable. I just feel bad for the kid that he's keeping us in there and we're not finding a way to bail him out,' Cooper said. 'The way things have gone these (last) two games, it doesn't matter who's in net. You know, we could have Bish and Vasi both playing at the same time, and they might have squeaked a couple in.'


Tampa Bay won all three regular seasons meetings between the teams before taking Game 1 of this series on the road, so coaches and players say there's no need to panic.


Cooper reunited the 'triplets' line of Tyler Johnson, Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat during the third period of Game 3, and the trio that was instrumental to Tampa Bay's run to the Stanley Cup final a year ago produced two late goals.


Bishop practiced Thursday and said he remains hopeful he'll return at some point in the series. Cooper said he doesn't expect it to be for Game 4.


With Vasilevskiy playing as well as he has, and Tampa Bay's track record as a resilient team, the coach remains confident this still will be a 'long, tough' series.


'It's not something where we're sitting here saying: `Oh, we can't beat this team.' We couldn't beat them in the last two games, and that's the way we're looking at it,' Cooper said.


'But in saying that, Pittsburgh's put us in a position to be like that,' the coach added 'Now it's we served, they volleyed back. Now it's our turn to send it back to them.'

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 5/20

NHL


Friday's game


Tampa Bay-Pittsburgh (P 2-1)
Penguins scored first goal of Game 3 with 0:10 left in second period, as they gained control of series vs backup goalie Vasilevsky. Lightning won five of last seven home games- under is 3-1-1 in their last five games. Pittsburgh is 6-2 in its last eight games, going 3-2 in last five on road. Tampa Bay won five of its last eight games with Penguins- they won three of last four played here. Over is 8-1-1 in last ten series games, but under is 5-3-3 in last ten Tampa Bay games overall. Lightning is 1-4 on power play in first three games in this series, Pittsburgh is 2-9.


Playoffs tally: 1st round-- Home: 23-24, Over: 16-17-14
2nd round-- Home: 16-9, Over: 11-5-9
Conference finals-- Home 3-3, Over 1-4-1

[Satch]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 5/20

Preview: Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay

When: 8:00 PM ET, Friday, May 20, 2016
Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida

Matchup Edge

PIT	Edge in:	TB
	Offense
	Defense
	Power Play
	Penalty Kill
	Face Offs
	Discipline
	Goaltending

The Tampa Bay Lightning look to turn their fortunes around and even the Eastern Conference final when they host the surging Pittsburgh Penguins for Game 4 on Friday night. The Lightning have lost two straight in the postseason for the first time this year after giving up 48 shots in a humbling 4-2 loss on Wednesday that followed a 41-shot effort by Pittsburgh in Game 2.

“When you play in the playoffs, you have to have a really short memory,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper told reporters. “Regardless if you’re playing well, or not, that’s it. Turn the page. Tomorrow is a new day. Sun’s coming up, I think. And we’ll be ready to go.” Ben Bishop (left leg) has begun skating, but is considered doubtful for Game 4 and Cooper said it wouldn’t have mattered if the Vezina Trophy finalist and Andrei Vasilevskiy both played in net the last two games. Phil Kessel continued his strong postseason with a goal and an assist Wednesday for Pittsburgh and leads the team with 16 points – eight in the last five games. “(Kessel) elevates his game in the playoffs,” Penguins center Nick Bonino told reporters. “You look at his numbers and just this playoff run and he’s been great.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, TVAS

ABOUT THE PENGUINS: All four lines have done the job causing havoc in the Lightning defensive zone the last two games, winning puck battles and forcing turnovers that have led to momentum. “They’re not an easy team to get shots against, but we’re finding a way,” right wing Carl Hagelin, who had a goal and an assist Wednesday, told reporters. “That’s what happens when you hold onto the puck a lot and have a lot of possession.” Right wing Patric Hornqvist (six goals) suffered an apparent left hand injury Wednesday while blocking a shot, but coach Mike Sullivan told reporters he didn’t “envision it being an issue.”

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING: Cooper shuffled his forward lines in the third period, putting the “triplets” -- Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov – back together and they contributed five points. It was too little too late for the Lightning, who are struggling to get the puck out of their own end and through the neutral zone with speed as defenseman Anton Stralman told reporters, “A lot of it is self-inflicted. They’re a really good team, but we’re kind of feeding them a lot.” Forward Jonathan Drouin needs to rebound after his first rough game of the playoffs, registering three giveaways and no shots on net.

OVERTIME

1. Pittsburgh C Evgeni Malkin snapped a six-game point drought with an assist on what proved to be the winning goal in Game 3.

2. Johnson scored his 19th playoff goal Wednesday, moving past Brad Richards for fourth on the franchise’s all-time list. He is one behind Kucherov for third.

3. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has scored in back-to-back games and boasts six shots on goal in each contest.

PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Penguins 2

[Satch]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 5/20

Trends - Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay
W/L Trends

Pittsburgh

Penguins are 15-3 in their last 18 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game. Penguins are 5-1 in their last 6 vs. Atlantic. Penguins are 24-5 in their last 29 games playing on 1 days rest. Penguins are 12-3 in their last 15 road games. Penguins are 8-2 in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Penguins are 21-7 in their last 28 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game. Penguins are 17-6 in their last 23 games following a win. Penguins are 19-7 in their last 26 vs. a team with a winning record. Penguins are 37-14 in their last 51 overall. Penguins are 36-15 in their last 51 vs. Eastern Conference. Penguins are 2-5 in their last 7 Conference Finals games. Penguins are 2-7 in their last 9 Friday games.

Tampa Bay

Lightning are 24-9 in their last 33 Friday games. Lightning are 5-2 in their last 7 vs. Metropolitan. Lightning are 5-2 in their last 7 overall. Lightning are 5-2 in their last 7 vs. Eastern Conference. Lightning are 7-3 in their last 10 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game. Lightning are 66-32 in their last 98 home games. Lightning are 2-5 in their last 7 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game. Lightning are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Lightning are 1-5 in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

OU Trends

Pittsburgh

Over is 5-1-3 in Penguins last 9 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game. Over is 14-4-3 in Penguins last 21 vs. Atlantic. Under is 3-1-1 in Penguins last 5 Conference Finals games. Over is 8-3-4 in Penguins last 15 games playing on 1 days rest. Over is 16-6-6 in Penguins last 28 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game. Under is 8-3-1 in Penguins last 12 Friday games. Over is 7-3-3 in Penguins last 13 games following a win.

Tampa Bay

Over is 5-1-2 in Lightning last 8 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game. Under is 8-2 in Lightning last 10 vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Under is 11-3-1 in Lightning last 15 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Under is 3-1-1 in Lightning last 5 games playing on 1 days rest. Under is 3-1-1 in Lightning last 5 overall. Under is 3-1-1 in Lightning last 5 vs. Metropolitan. Under is 3-1-1 in Lightning last 5 vs. Eastern Conference. Over is 3-1-3 in Lightning last 7 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.

Head to Head

Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Tampa Bay. Over is 18-5-3 in the last 26 meetings. Penguins are 13-5 in the last 18 meetings. Home team is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.